As always, when talking about writing, these are just tips and not rules! There are no "rules", only what works or what doesn't work for you. Are you writing multiple pov and want to see more in-depth videos? Let me know in the comments!!
Writing a series in multi-POV would be a WONDERFUL video. I'd so be here for it! Drinking up all this content. I have been working for years on an epic fantasy with multiple povs as my backburner project and am now coming to a place where I will be able to work on it full time.
I had a scene that just wasn't working properly, and when I switched to the POV of the other main character in the scene, I realised it was because the things I needed the reader to know, to see, and to notice weren't things that Character A was noticing and seeing, but Character B was noticing them. It made the whole scene more immersive.
I just want to thank you for saying that a character's arc can flow through multiple books in a series. I was a King, Rice, and Fantasy reader and I write the same. Multiple POV omniscient 3rd Past but limited to a POV per scene. Being in a series, some characters are forefront and others are not going to become important until later in the series. But often these things are "not allowed" according to one person or another.
I totally agree with you! I really wish I could sit down and talk to some of the true masters of fantasy about this! Maybe I'll get a chance to meet Brandon Sanderson someday, haha.
Loved these tips! Especially because im in the middle ouf outlining a new book, and im finding that i'll need to incorporate a dual timeline, and im struggling a bit to anchor them to beats, but I love this idea that the present day triggers the memory, that makes it a very natural flow! Thank you Sarra❤
Thank you for these tips! I've been writing dual POVs since I started (or a single, first-person POV) but you never know when more characters will speak up. I'd love to see a more detailed series!
thank you as always for this! i am currently writing a complex fantasy romance series that has multiple POVs and I would definitely love to see a more in-depth video on the character arcs that span multiple books and weaving everything together! xo
I would love videos on the tips you talked about! Your new book sounds absolutely fascinating and I was concentrating so much on what you were talking about and when you were showing your board that I jumped when your kid's voices came through lol.
I would definitely love to see more in-depth videos! I've been wanting to try this out and see if it works for my story. Thank you for all of your awesome videos! 😊
Sarra, I found your channel about a month ago and have been binge-watching your videos. I want to preface this comment by saying that I respect you as a planner aficionado - I now have a Kanban board set up in my office - thank you for that. And I'm picking up my cozy mystery that I started in NaNo about 5 years ago because you've made the writing process manageable. All of that so I don't diminish your genius...because, girl, your eye makeup is AMAZING! The purples with the purple t-shirt, the silver with the grey, and sometimes the amazing false lashes. If you get bored with organization and writing, you have a career as a makeup YTer☺
YES!!! Series -- multiple POV -- BRING on the videos!! You are a true gift to us writers, and SO generous with your time and energy! I know that's a finite resource... we are SO grateful!! xoxo
Thank you so much for this! I recently realized that the story I'm writing needed to have two points of view (it's the first multi-POV story that I've ever written, so I'm more than a bit nervous) and this video was incredibly helpful!
“The Help” by Kathryn Stockett is another great example of multiple POVs. My debut novel “Eva’s Promise” also has two POVs, and as you said, I alternated in my story too, and primarily because my male character was in a coma for seven chapters before he regained consciousness…lol
Love this video! I can't wait for the rest of the series, and to dive deeper. I think the most helpful for me, was the end where you're showing how you're using POV for TDOVS. I had a mini "a-ha!" moment during this segment of the video, and think it will greatly help me with the murder mystery I'm plotting and writing for NaNo this year! Good thing I already have my paper plotting wall set up, I'm going to need it now. Thanks for the inspo and hope BOTH of your kiddos are loving school so far :)
For those writing in omniscient 3rd person, past tense - author Laini Taylor does this really beautifully in Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares.
I was fully set on single point of view for my novel until I had a discussion with another author about my book so it just might end up multiple point of view. We shall see. Your insight is greatly appreciated. 😊
That was so helpful! Thank you. I am so excited to realize that I am writing multiple POV! Now I have to go and check if I have been head hopping. Eeek. Please do more of these!
this is so cool, bc i never thought id attempt multiple but im participating in your new [2024] Nov challenge and I feel like my story is better told from the MC in the first half so we understand her plight AND then through another young girl through the 2nd half, as the MC becomes detached from her own identity and is better told from an exterior point of view. ty SC
I am loving this!!! I am writing a romantic suspense with three points of view. My hero and heroine plus the villain. There are moments of the past being remembered by the heroin in order to give a bit of backstory or history with the villain, so this is great!!! Thank you so much! Also, I've been using PLOTR for laying things out on my computer screen, it's really cool since I can move things around and keep my outline, characters and locations in the same place as well as the full series. But, I also have what you have done, I loved it and created one in my hall way so I can visually see the story unfold. Thank you so much! - Norma
I'm loving these multi pov videos! I'm currently working on an episodic fantasy/romance/political intrigue series, each book will have at least two PoV characters with little tidbits from the series' overarching antagonists. The plan is sitting at six books now and I'm a little overwhelmed. 😅
Love this. I'm currently writing a dual POV. Sadly it started out at a single POV, and halfway through my 98k dev-ed, I realized I needed a second POV because he would not stop yelling at me! Life of a discovery writer. 🤣
I would love to see more videos on plotting series, multiple pov etc...they are super helpful!Thank you! I can't wait to read your new book when it comes out! 🕵♀😊
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do a series about how to write a character arc over multiple books or writing a series with the same characters!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE you're so right about there being a lack of books/articles about this topic...
I love this! I just started planning a multiple-POV fantasy/romance for NaNoWriMo and it is confusing... I would definitely like more videos on this topic. Especially with different timelines as well! :) Thanks Sarra
Would love to learn more about the different POVs and examples of when it happens. I loved the Coffee Chat idea of breaking down books together live! And also a read together craft series. I would also join another group / Discord to continue the conversation as well.
I've been looking specifically for advice on plotting multiple(6) main POVs in a way that doesn't strain readers' ability to remember who each character is, or their ability to care about each of them.
Thanks for the video! I'm working on a romance with 2 pov, and a fantasy with 4 pov. Love your plotting wall. Your insights are always helpful and inspiring. Thanks!
Wow that has really helped me with my first story I am writing and understanding the POV's of each character in my story. I am going to see if your tips will help me with writing my story. I have a lot to think about but looking foward to starting. Love your videos by the way.
So helpful! I love your tips! I get confused with past tense when writing about "Today, tomorrow, or now. " Any tips on how to make sure the tense is consistent?
Im reading Josiah Bancrofts Babel series right now and he really mixes up pov with omniscient and its very intersting how he moves from character to character.
I think that when a pov character in a multiple pov plot disappears for several chapters it builds or heightens a tension or anticipation about whats going with them which keeps me reading on with them in mind always anticipating thier reemergence ..but it also leaves me wondering HOW whats happening currently in the story is affecting or will affect that character. Lord of the rings is a great example of this for me.
My debut novel which I’m currently drafting is single POV for the first six books. Then book 7 follows the Main characters’ children with a new series name and title.
In the first draft of my story, I have more than a dozen POV characters. I'm switching from chapter to chapter between characters as well as factions or places. However, it turned out that many of them haven't enough to say, at least not without revealing plot twists. So I guess I have to reduce the number drastically, with only a handful of major characters who get the POV whenever one of them is in the scene, plus maybe a few for short chapters which are necessary but can only have the POV of a side character.
Thanks so much! I have a main character who must complete 3 quests that take place in a Book 1, 2, and 3 trilogy. That is his overall arc. Each book is a stand alone based on main characters that have their own arcs. I would love to hear you address structuring the individual book characters' arcs plus the other character's arc that unfolds over the 3 books. Thanks.
Tolkiens lord of the rings is a great pov series where its not till the end we see the character arcs resolved, but you can see how each is changing and growing thoughout or across the books.
Thanks for doing this video. I've never actually written in multiple POV. I have a question about the first tip about identifying the reason why you want to write in multiple POV. If the reason is because you need multiple POV to tell the story, why not use an omniscient narrator? I know one answer could be genre or reader expectations.
I would say mostly because readers get so much more immersed in the story when you can hear their thoughts, but it doesn't really work to have an omniscient narrator that's telling us everyone's thoughts. Like, technically Harry Potter is an omniscient narrator, but there are moments where we see everything and then most of the story narrows in on a close or limited POV so that we can feel like we're seeing the story through that person's eyes. I think I'll put together a video with some more examples of this type of writing. I think a lot of epic fantasy and high fantasy used to be more omniscient in style, but it's become more common to just see third person limited instead of omniscient, but when you're in omniscient you can kind of choose if you want to also be limited, if that makes sense.
I’d like to see the video about writing multi pov through a series. I’ve got like 100 plots that all become important eventually but idk how to track all of that and it’s stressing me out
The thing with mine is that I don't know yet if the story will be multiple points of view but I think that might be the way to go. Any more advice you could give would be very helpful.
I would love to see how to plot with a multi POV. Loved the plot your novel series! SOO O helpful, I found history and motivations, as well as characters even, that I didn't know existed in my own novel. Confused on how to use the PYN for mPOVS though. Do you fill out for each, even though you will not use a good bit of them?
I personally do, yes. Because they're usually still going on that full journey, even if we don't see it all on the page. For my Shadow Demons Saga, several characters also have their story arc and character arc cross multiple books, so I fill it out and then see where their journey fits in the overall story arc of the series.
My sisters friend is working on a story with me but it’s more of a fanfic story. Should we change the name, (which is called Winx Club,it’s where a group of fairies goes through challenges to earn their fairy forms in each season) or keep it?
Are you still planning to unpublish and rewrite the book Deep Dark Secrets to be a stand alone? Also YES to the videos (and maybe workbook if you have the time) on structuring a series with multi POV. That's what I am working on right now. I have no idea why I decided to do that for my first attempt at a book ever, but I'm already committed so its too late. LOL
@@HeartBreathings Ok no pressure don't burn out trying to finish TDOVS, book 12, and that! I'm going to be reading book 3 in the SDS as soon as I have a night where I don't have to get up early the next morning. Once I start I have a hard time stopping until I get to the end of the book. Darn those "dun dun dun" chapter endings! LOL. I have to actually get up early for the next 3 days so I can't stay up all night. 😂
So I was wondering, I'm not sure if this will come out right. But I'm working on two different stories, not related to one another at all. Is it okay to have one story in third person and one story first person? Or as a writer do I have to pick a style to write in and stick with it for everything?
If they are different stories it's okay to switch. It's more important to think about what's normal in your genre, but if there's a mix then it's no problem really to switch it up from story to story
Can you change povs inside a scene in a different paragraph? I do this to show the reader the protagonist doesn't know everything. Or to show they are still getting to know thier new friends
If there's a scene break and then the rest of the chapter is in the second pov that can work but I'd advise against a quick 1 paragraph switch and then back again.
As always, when talking about writing, these are just tips and not rules! There are no "rules", only what works or what doesn't work for you. Are you writing multiple pov and want to see more in-depth videos? Let me know in the comments!!
Writing a series in multi-POV would be a WONDERFUL video. I'd so be here for it! Drinking up all this content. I have been working for years on an epic fantasy with multiple povs as my backburner project and am now coming to a place where I will be able to work on it full time.
I had a scene that just wasn't working properly, and when I switched to the POV of the other main character in the scene, I realised it was because the things I needed the reader to know, to see, and to notice weren't things that Character A was noticing and seeing, but Character B was noticing them. It made the whole scene more immersive.
Such a good observation!
I'd love to see more videos on plotting series, the nitty gritty of the process, whether it's multi POV or single. Thank you for another great video!
I would definitely love to see more in-depth videos on this topic! thank you as always for your invaluable advices
I’m so so excited to read The disappearance of Vanessa Shaw! Just started my multi pov book would love to see how to structure them as a series
Yay, it makes me so happy that you're excited to read it!!
I just want to thank you for saying that a character's arc can flow through multiple books in a series. I was a King, Rice, and Fantasy reader and I write the same. Multiple POV omniscient 3rd Past but limited to a POV per scene. Being in a series, some characters are forefront and others are not going to become important until later in the series. But often these things are "not allowed" according to one person or another.
I totally agree with you! I really wish I could sit down and talk to some of the true masters of fantasy about this! Maybe I'll get a chance to meet Brandon Sanderson someday, haha.
Loved these tips! Especially because im in the middle ouf outlining a new book, and im finding that i'll need to incorporate a dual timeline, and im struggling a bit to anchor them to beats, but I love this idea that the present day triggers the memory, that makes it a very natural flow! Thank you Sarra❤
Thank you for these tips! I've been writing dual POVs since I started (or a single, first-person POV) but you never know when more characters will speak up.
I'd love to see a more detailed series!
Judy Garwood is great at switching pov inside of a scene. Loretta Chase too. I'm sure it's really hard to pull off though.
thank you as always for this! i am currently writing a complex fantasy romance series that has multiple POVs and I would definitely love to see a more in-depth video on the character arcs that span multiple books and weaving everything together! xo
I would love videos on the tips you talked about! Your new book sounds absolutely fascinating and I was concentrating so much on what you were talking about and when you were showing your board that I jumped when your kid's voices came through lol.
Hi Yes please more on structuring series' with multi-POV. :)
Woah, I literally just started a series with multiple pov a couple days ago. This is amazing, can’t wait to see this!!!
Perfect timing!
I would definitely love to see more in-depth videos! I've been wanting to try this out and see if it works for my story. Thank you for all of your awesome videos! 😊
Omg, I'm so glad that algorithm brought me here! You're super inspiring, I'm feeling much better and lighter now❤
Sarra, I found your channel about a month ago and have been binge-watching your videos. I want to preface this comment by saying that I respect you as a planner aficionado - I now have a Kanban board set up in my office - thank you for that. And I'm picking up my cozy mystery that I started in NaNo about 5 years ago because you've made the writing process manageable.
All of that so I don't diminish your genius...because, girl, your eye makeup is AMAZING! The purples with the purple t-shirt, the silver with the grey, and sometimes the amazing false lashes. If you get bored with organization and writing, you have a career as a makeup YTer☺
I have been waiting for this. As a full blown newbie. I am like Sargent Shultz. I KNOW NOTHING
YES!!! Series -- multiple POV -- BRING on the videos!! You are a true gift to us writers, and SO generous with your time and energy! I know that's a finite resource... we are SO grateful!! xoxo
Thank you so much for this! I recently realized that the story I'm writing needed to have two points of view (it's the first multi-POV story that I've ever written, so I'm more than a bit nervous) and this video was incredibly helpful!
“The Help” by Kathryn Stockett is another great example of multiple POVs. My debut novel “Eva’s Promise” also has two POVs, and as you said, I alternated in my story too, and primarily because my male character was in a coma for seven chapters before he regained consciousness…lol
Yes, The Help is a great example!
Ohmygosh I have been waiting for this video!!!! So excited to jump right in!
Love this video! I can't wait for the rest of the series, and to dive deeper. I think the most helpful for me, was the end where you're showing how you're using POV for TDOVS. I had a mini "a-ha!" moment during this segment of the video, and think it will greatly help me with the murder mystery I'm plotting and writing for NaNo this year! Good thing I already have my paper plotting wall set up, I'm going to need it now. Thanks for the inspo and hope BOTH of your kiddos are loving school so far :)
For those writing in omniscient 3rd person, past tense - author Laini Taylor does this really beautifully in Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares.
I was fully set on single point of view for my novel until I had a discussion with another author about my book so it just might end up multiple point of view. We shall see. Your insight is greatly appreciated. 😊
I would love a series on writing a series with multiple POV
omg YES!!! i would love for you to show us how to structure a series with multiple POVs!! PLEASE :)
That was so helpful! Thank you. I am so excited to realize that I am writing multiple POV! Now I have to go and check if I have been head hopping. Eeek. Please do more of these!
this is so cool, bc i never thought id attempt multiple but im participating in your new [2024] Nov challenge and I feel like my story is better told from the MC in the first half so we understand her plight AND then through another young girl through the 2nd half, as the MC becomes detached from her own identity and is better told from an exterior point of view. ty SC
I am loving this!!! I am writing a romantic suspense with three points of view. My hero and heroine plus the villain. There are moments of the past being remembered by the heroin in order to give a bit of backstory or history with the villain, so this is great!!! Thank you so much! Also, I've been using PLOTR for laying things out on my computer screen, it's really cool since I can move things around and keep my outline, characters and locations in the same place as well as the full series. But, I also have what you have done, I loved it and created one in my hall way so I can visually see the story unfold. Thank you so much! - Norma
I really have loved playing around in PLOTTR and I'm excited to plan a whole series in there!
So excited for the TDOVS to come out! Can’t wait.
I'm loving these multi pov videos! I'm currently working on an episodic fantasy/romance/political intrigue series, each book will have at least two PoV characters with little tidbits from the series' overarching antagonists. The plan is sitting at six books now and I'm a little overwhelmed. 😅
I would love to hear more about plotting/structuring a series with multiple POV!
😊
Love this. I'm currently writing a dual POV. Sadly it started out at a single POV, and halfway through my 98k dev-ed, I realized I needed a second POV because he would not stop yelling at me! Life of a discovery writer. 🤣
I know that's tough to go back, but I'm sure it will be amazing!
I would love to see more videos on plotting series, multiple pov etc...they are super helpful!Thank you!
I can't wait to read your new book when it comes out! 🕵♀😊
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do a series about how to write a character arc over multiple books or writing a series with the same characters!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE you're so right about there being a lack of books/articles about this topic...
I love this! I just started planning a multiple-POV fantasy/romance for NaNoWriMo and it is confusing... I would definitely like more videos on this topic. Especially with different timelines as well! :) Thanks Sarra
Would love to learn more about the different POVs and examples of when it happens. I loved the Coffee Chat idea of breaking down books together live! And also a read together craft series. I would also join another group / Discord to continue the conversation as well.
I AM SOO EARLY (and this is so timely bc I'm working on a multi POV novel)
I've been looking specifically for advice on plotting multiple(6) main POVs in a way that doesn't strain readers' ability to remember who each character is, or their ability to care about each of them.
I love how you explain everything. You are definitely a teacher 🤗Thank you very much for sharing 🙏🏽😘
Thanks for the video! I'm working on a romance with 2 pov, and a fantasy with 4 pov. Love your plotting wall. Your insights are always helpful and inspiring. Thanks!
Thank you!
Wow that has really helped me with my first story I am writing and understanding the POV's of each character in my story. I am going to see if your tips will help me with writing my story. I have a lot to think about but looking foward to starting. Love your videos by the way.
very good. helped me just now. watching it again
Series with multiple POVs would be so helpful
So helpful! I love your tips! I get confused with past tense when writing about "Today, tomorrow, or now. " Any tips on how to make sure the tense is consistent?
Yes, I was thinking that would also be a good video to do about tense, because I don't think I've ever made one. Thank you for the suggestion!
I have three pov’s. At this moment I am fleshing out the killer then I move to my sleuth. These tips were very helpful
wow! i can't wait to read The Disappearance of Vanessa Shaw!
Im reading Josiah Bancrofts Babel series right now and he really mixes up pov with omniscient and its very intersting how he moves from character to character.
I think that when a pov character in a multiple pov plot disappears for several chapters it builds or heightens a tension or anticipation about whats going with them which keeps me reading on with them in mind always anticipating thier reemergence ..but it also leaves me wondering HOW whats happening currently in the story is affecting or will affect that character. Lord of the rings is a great example of this for me.
Would love to know how to structure a series with multiple POVs! :) Thanks for a great video.
YES! Perfect timing :D And there even was a little TWD Bonus
My debut novel which I’m currently drafting is single POV for the first six books. Then book 7 follows the Main characters’ children with a new series name and title.
Thank you Sarra ❣️👍👍👍So importent and good advice❤️ Love to you,and also your family ❣️
In the first draft of my story, I have more than a dozen POV characters. I'm switching from chapter to chapter between characters as well as factions or places. However, it turned out that many of them haven't enough to say, at least not without revealing plot twists.
So I guess I have to reduce the number drastically, with only a handful of major characters who get the POV whenever one of them is in the scene, plus maybe a few for short chapters which are necessary but can only have the POV of a side character.
It sounds like you've learned a lot and none of that work you put in is wasted because you know those characters better now!
Thanks so much! I have a main character who must complete 3 quests that take place in a Book 1, 2, and 3 trilogy. That is his overall arc. Each book is a stand alone based on main characters that have their own arcs. I would love to hear you address structuring the individual book characters' arcs plus the other character's arc that unfolds over the 3 books. Thanks.
This is a godsend
Great timing for this. I'm in the middle of writing a multiple POV novel and I'm struggling.
Hope you find it helpful!
I tend to just write as the story flows in my head. I never thought about how I Write in multiple POV.
That's great!! Some people are just intuitive writers and it all comes naturally, so that's a real gift you have! Love it!
Tolkiens lord of the rings is a great pov series where its not till the end we see the character arcs resolved, but you can see how each is changing and growing thoughout or across the books.
Big thank u. This was very helpful.
I'd love to have more recommendations/tips for multiple point of view and character arcs in a series. :)
Thanks for doing this video. I've never actually written in multiple POV. I have a question about the first tip about identifying the reason why you want to write in multiple POV. If the reason is because you need multiple POV to tell the story, why not use an omniscient narrator? I know one answer could be genre or reader expectations.
I would say mostly because readers get so much more immersed in the story when you can hear their thoughts, but it doesn't really work to have an omniscient narrator that's telling us everyone's thoughts. Like, technically Harry Potter is an omniscient narrator, but there are moments where we see everything and then most of the story narrows in on a close or limited POV so that we can feel like we're seeing the story through that person's eyes. I think I'll put together a video with some more examples of this type of writing. I think a lot of epic fantasy and high fantasy used to be more omniscient in style, but it's become more common to just see third person limited instead of omniscient, but when you're in omniscient you can kind of choose if you want to also be limited, if that makes sense.
I’d like to see the video about writing multi pov through a series. I’ve got like 100 plots that all become important eventually but idk how to track all of that and it’s stressing me out
My book, Council of Myths:
Origins, has 12 (first person) 🫠 Multi-POVs are fun
I would love to know more about structuring a series with multiple points of view. Please and thank you.
The thing with mine is that I don't know yet if the story will be multiple points of view but I think that might be the way to go. Any more advice you could give would be very helpful.
Thank you!
I would love to see how to plot with a multi POV. Loved the plot your novel series! SOO O helpful, I found history and motivations, as well as characters even, that I didn't know existed in my own novel. Confused on how to use the PYN for mPOVS though. Do you fill out for each, even though you will not use a good bit of them?
I personally do, yes. Because they're usually still going on that full journey, even if we don't see it all on the page. For my Shadow Demons Saga, several characters also have their story arc and character arc cross multiple books, so I fill it out and then see where their journey fits in the overall story arc of the series.
My sisters friend is working on a story with me but it’s more of a fanfic story. Should we change the name, (which is called Winx Club,it’s where a group of fairies goes through challenges to earn their fairy forms in each season) or keep it?
Sounds fun!! Why are you thinking of changing the name?
Are you still planning to unpublish and rewrite the book Deep Dark Secrets to be a stand alone? Also YES to the videos (and maybe workbook if you have the time) on structuring a series with multi POV. That's what I am working on right now. I have no idea why I decided to do that for my first attempt at a book ever, but I'm already committed so its too late. LOL
Yes, I am! Hoping to get to that this year.
@@HeartBreathings Ok no pressure don't burn out trying to finish TDOVS, book 12, and that! I'm going to be reading book 3 in the SDS as soon as I have a night where I don't have to get up early the next morning. Once I start I have a hard time stopping until I get to the end of the book. Darn those "dun dun dun" chapter endings! LOL. I have to actually get up early for the next 3 days so I can't stay up all night. 😂
So I was wondering, I'm not sure if this will come out right. But I'm working on two different stories, not related to one another at all. Is it okay to have one story in third person and one story first person? Or as a writer do I have to pick a style to write in and stick with it for everything?
If they are different stories it's okay to switch. It's more important to think about what's normal in your genre, but if there's a mix then it's no problem really to switch it up from story to story
Can you change povs inside a scene in a different paragraph? I do this to show the reader the protagonist doesn't know everything. Or to show they are still getting to know thier new friends
If there's a scene break and then the rest of the chapter is in the second pov that can work but I'd advise against a quick 1 paragraph switch and then back again.
I am writing a 3 character pov. I did rotate each character. I need to change that but I don’t know how.
Hi. Which video shows how to make your Multiple POV Plot wall? What is the time stamp as well. Thanks very much!
This is a is one! th-cam.com/video/5UpLhCA4WWM/w-d-xo.html
❤
💜💜